I write in response to Astrid Vella’s contribution “The Baroque Period House in Ghar il-Lembi’ (TMIS, 9 October). I have to state that the use of the words ‘Baroque period’ with reference to this house is historically incorrect and is grossly misleading to your readers.

In her response Ms Vella completely ignores the factual arguments I presented concerning the detail of the map showing Fort Tigné dating to the late-18th/early-19th century plan showing a cluster of buildings supposedly located in High Street but in actual fact situated in present-day Qui-si-Sana. In my previous contribution, ‘A case of mistaken identity’, I had made reference to Stephen Spiteri’s research identifying the site as that of Lembi Battery and ancillary buildings with a road leading to them (not present-day High Street as is being alleged by Ms Vella). This major factual error in the mistaken identity of the site was conveniently ignored in Ms Vella’s response. To err is human but to persist is diabolical.

In her latest contribution Ms Vella reveals a much later second map dating to 1853, and this time showing the right location. She concludes that the building could have existed at this point although whether it was in its present form is still subject to conjecture. In any case, this would still not contradict my dating of the building for the period 1850-1920. It is a well-known fact that the nucleus of the town of Sliema only crystallised by the 1850s. This is supported by the urban geographer Brian Blouet who in The Story of Malta states: “In 1833 Sliema was described as being a little village consisting ‘principally of the summer residences of the inhabitants of Valletta.’ By the end of the century it had become the nucleus of a small town and similar settlements were beginning to grow at Msida and St Julian’s. In 1861, there were 324 people living in Sliema...”

As regards the ‘stylistic’ argument put forward that on the basis of a pair of miniscule guttae behind the pilasters to the main entrance, this building could be termed an authentic Baroque building, then I could even point out wich is

a splendid Baroque-style façade’ complete with a Bernini-like Baldacchino, a building in Victoria, Gozo, on the way to Marsalforn that is obviously an ornate pseudo-Baroque building dating to the 1980s! As Ms Vella should know through her studies at the Institute of Baroque Studies, Baroque architecture in Malta was superseded in the 1790s with the advent of Neo-Classicism. For the sake of historical accuracy, Sliema’s architecture was characterised by Victorian-style and later, Art Nouveau houses, before the more recent blight of concrete apartment blocks took over.

Ms Vella labours under a number of misconceptions. I certainly cannot be accused of indulging in personal insinuations as it is only after last Sunday’s contribution that Ms Vella revealed her identity. Prior to that, I had absolutely no idea who the author of the various contributions was. I do not personally know Ms Vella although on a more positive note she did, I believe, once review the book, Malta – The Baroque Island which I co-authored with the late Quentin Hughes.

I can assure Ms Vella that in the course of my career I have dedicated a considerable amount of time and effort to the study of architectural

history and conservation. Although it has given me a lot of satisfaction, I can assure her that it has not contributed in any significant way to the state of my personal finances. Ms Vella should also note that I am not the architect responsible for this particular application. My remit was merely to provide a report with a historically accurate dating of the building, no less and no more. Other decisions pertaining to the redevelopment of the house and in which manner this may be carried out,

were undertaken by the competent authorities at MEPA.

This is my last contribution on the subject, as I have no desire to prolong an endless debate where one refuses to face facts and continues to indulge in arguments that are more akin to some Don Quixote chasing windmills.

Conrad Thake

Architect